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Human gastrocnemius medialis pennation angle as a function of age: from newborn to the elderly
T Binzoni1, S Bianchi, S Hanquinet
1Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. Tiziano.Binzoni@medecine.unige.ch
Insights
Human skeletal muscle pennation angle (F theta) increases with age from birth through adolescence, stabilizing in adulthood. This angle shows a linear relationship with muscle thickness (TK), indicating it
Area of Science:
- Human Anatomy
- Biomechanics
- Physiology
Background:
- Skeletal muscle pennation angle (F theta) is a key anatomical parameter influencing muscle force production.
- Previous research has not comprehensively quantified age-related changes in F theta throughout the human lifespan.
- Understanding F theta's developmental trajectory is crucial for fields like sports science and rehabilitation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify age-related changes in human gastrocnemius medialis pennation angle (F theta) from 0 to 70 years.
- To investigate the relationship between F theta and muscle thickness (TK) across different age groups.
- To establish whether F theta is a static or dynamic parameter during human development and aging.
Main Methods:
- Ultrasonography was used to scan the gastrocnemius medialis muscle in 162 healthy subjects (0-70 years).
- Measurements were taken with subjects in a prone position, at rest, with ankles at 90 degrees and muscles relaxed.
- Statistical analysis was performed to determine the relationship between F theta and muscle thickness (TK).
Main Results:
- Pennation angle (F theta) demonstrated a monotonic increase from birth, stabilizing after the adolescent growth spurt.
- A significant linear relationship was identified between F theta and muscle thickness (TK): F theta = 0.84 * TK + 3.15 (p < 0.05).
- Existing literature data on gastrocnemius medialis F theta and TK aligned coherently with the established F theta-TK plot.
Conclusions:
- Human skeletal muscle pennation angle (F theta) is not constant but evolves significantly with age.
- F theta's development parallels that of other growth-related parameters like bone length and height.
- The findings provide a quantitative basis for understanding age-dependent changes in muscle architecture and function.
Abstract:
The aim of the present study was to quantify changes in human skeletal muscle pennation angle (F theta) values during growth and adult life. The human gastrocnemius medialis muscle of 162 subjects (96 males and 66 females) in the age range 0-70 years was scanned with ultrasonography. The subjects were laying prone, at rest, with the ankle maintained at 90 degrees with all muscles relaxed. F theta increased monotonically starting from birth (0 years) and reached a stable value after the adolescent growth spurt. There was a significant (p < 0.05) linear relationship between F theta and muscle thickness (TK). F theta = 0.84 (+/- 0.09) * TK + 3.15 (+/- 1.13). Human gastrocnemius medialis F theta and TK data found in the literature seem to fit the F theta-TK plot in a coherent manner, independent of the physiological or anatomical characteristics of the subject. The present findings indicate that F theta is not a constant parameter but evolves, as is the case for bone length and height, as a function of age.